MORE than 30 hospitals and 80 health centres in the greater Dublin area are due to be affected by a series of strikes by 5,000 manual workers later this month.
There is a strong possibility that no emergency cover will be provided during the stoppages, which are scheduled to begin next week.
The workers, who are members of SIPTU, include cleaners caterers, porters and nurse attendants. Elective admissions, operations outpatient clinics and some clinical procedures could be affected.
A circular from the SIPTU branch secretary, Mr Matt Merrigan, tells members that "no local shop steward/section committee is to agree to any emergency cover for the duration of the dispute. All requests by employers will have to be submitted in writing to the branch office".
Mr Merrigan said only one hospital, the Meath, had so far contacted SIPTU to discuss emergency cover. He would not say what cover, if any, would be provided.
The first strike involves a four hour stoppage from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday February 15th. The second involves a four hour stoppage from 10.30 am. to 2.30p.m. on Friday February 23rd, and the third a 24 hour stoppage from 8 a.m. on Wednesday February 28th.
February 29th is the date on which the results of the nurses' ballot on their latest pay offers from management should be known. However, the first industrial action by nurses is not expected before April and the two disputes are not connected.
Union sources said yesterday that there was considerable pressure from members to provide no emergency cover.
Many low paid manual workers felt the Government was "willing to bend over backwards to accommodate the nurses" while ignoring their long standing claim. They pointed out that they first served strike action last August.